4 Reasons to Replace Your Wood Shake Roofing

Wood shake roofing is peerless when it comes to that classic wood look. While it’s widely touted as the best-looking, it isn’t the most durable or long-lasting, even with treatment and regular care. Safe Harbor Roofing & Siding lists four reasons to replace your old wood shake roof.

1. Wood and Water Damage

Wood roofing, despite its aesthetics, fare poorly when regularly exposed to rain and water damage. Compared to asphalt shingle systems, wood shake roofing tends to warp and buckle faster. Wood shake roofing also rots, and it can quickly become a home for moss, mold and mildew when constantly exposed to water damage.

2. Wood Is High Maintenance

Compared to newer roofing systems, wood shake roofs tend to be a high-maintenance system. Because it has lower elemental resistance compared with asphalt and metal roofing, you’ll spend more money repairing and maintaining it. This makes it a poor choice for long-term protection.

3. Wood Fades Faster

Wood shake roofs also fade faster, which diminishes your home’s exterior aesthetics considerably. While it’s easy to retreat the wood shingles and make them appear brand new, the fact that they fade faster means they are pricier to maintain than other roofing systems.

4. Wood and Fire Resistance

While there are specially treated wood shingles that resist fire, it can’t hide its natural weakness. This is a stark contrast to asphalt and metal roofing, which are impervious to fire on their own without needing special and expensive additions.